Review of Participant Observation, by STEPHEN P. BOGDEWIC

This was a chapter taken from Doing Qualitative Research (1992) by Benjamin F. Crabtree, Wi l l iam L. Miller (eds). It highlighted the many definitions that could be used for participant observation among which were " research characterized by a prolonged period of intense social interaction between the researcher and the subjects, in  the  milieu of the  latter, during which time data, in the form of field notes, are  unobtrusively and systematically collected" (Bogdan, 1972). The chapter then went on to name a few of the benefits/disadvantages that could come from participant observation such as the difference in view created by being inside a institution or culture versus outside of the culture, or the organic nature of questioning (the ability to adapt to the language of the culture).
In the next section the author describes the steps of participant observation (having an overview of the project, entry, initial contact,"establishing report", and knowing what exactly it is you are "observing", essentially the who, what, where, and when's of the project). According to Spradley (1980) researchers must take into account five things when recording their observations:
1. Space: the physical place or places
2.  Actor:the people involved
3.  Activity: a set of related acts people do
4.  Object: the physical things that are present
5.  Act:single actions that people do 

6.  Event: a set of related activities that people carry out
7.  Time :  the sequencing that  takes place over time
8.  Goal: the things people are trying to accomplish
9.  Feeling: the emotions felt and expressed (p. 78)


Threaded into each of these overviews are case studies. It is suggested that the researcher have both a field log (for recording how they generally pass their time during the research) and field notes (that should be as detailed as possible as they will be what is referred to later in the research analysis stages of the project). The author stresses that each page of notes should have proper documentation so you know the time, place, and date of each note, as well as page number in case the pages should get mixed up.
The author recommends you record your field notes as soon as possible and do not discuss your observation with anyone before recording and interestingly that you do not edit as you write rather accept the natural framework of the paper (likely influence by your surroundings, but can be changed later).

The author describes the ideal subject as "someone who has been in the culture long enough so that they no longer think about  it." This is to observe the most natural reactions. To avoid too biased of a view of the culture the author recommends researchers avoid subject too active in one manner of the culture (the example given is social work). For my study I believe that this may be difficult to do because I am looking at such a specific group of community members.
Overall this chapter was informative and brief (only about 25 pages) and I have a feeling I may be referring back to it in the months to come.



https://curve.coventry.ac.uk/cu/items/d2a95e0f-7ac7-674f-f2fd-1f97224e7bcd/1/Bogdewic_03_0803944047.pdf